A List

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I cannot think of a thing to say

But I am writing anyway.

All I need to do is make a rhyme

I need not take up all your time

Just get it down, and check it off

The all important list.  You scoff!

Are things on a list all worth the work?

Oh really now.  Don't be a jerk!

If I wrote it down it must be done

Whether or not it is much fun.

Oh silly, I just can't see why

A list has power.  That just won't fly!

The list was written down by me

And I can scribble it out!  You see?

A list can't make me do a thing!

It can't make me dance, or make me sing!

But isn't the list like a promise made?

It says I owe, and it must be paid?

There is not room for a change of mind

There's no good excuse that I can find!

I can't scribble out until I do

Is a list really not like that for you?

No.  I'm realistic about change.

If there is change I must rearrange.

And maybe, gasp!  No, don't you pout.

Change might just mean that I should cross out

Something on the list that I thought before

But is just not needed any more!

A Child's Love

Have you ever heard a child laugh with pure delight?

Have you ever seen a child sleep when it is night?

Have you ever felt a child's arms giving you a hug?

Or seen the wonder in their face as they watch a little bug?

Have you ever seen a child dance with joy upon their face?

Or felt the love that comes with a child's forgiving grace?

It is true that they make messes, as quick as quick can be,

But it's also true they're quick to smile at you, and then at me.

Sometimes they're shy, and sometimes not.

Sometimes they run, or maybe trot.

They wave their hands up in the air

And are glad to go most anywhere.

Sometimes they think they are in charge.

And their tantrums can be really large.

But the love they give is magical and goes straight to the heart

And any love you give a child is very, very smart.

I would like....

Photo by Rebecca Asryan on Unsplash
Choose to look up!

I would like to be rich when I'm poor.

I would like to have less when there's more.

When my hair's straight I wish it were curly.

When it's late, then I wish it were early.

If days seem long I wish they were shorter.

If a dollar, I wish it a quarter.

If the day's short I wish it were longer.

If time's short then I need time to ponder.

I wish that some guests would just disappear.

When they're gone then I wish that they were still here.

And so from day in to day out,

I can find dozens of reasons to pout.

But I find that it's nicer by far,

If I can like things just how they are.

**I wrote this when we still had a dot matrix printer!

God's Love

 Written as a song for a friend in 2013.

God's Love

You know it rains sometimes

When we want the sun to shine

Dark clouds come rolling through

And we don't know what to do

The darkness seems like night

And we want to feel the light

But warmth and light both seem so far away.

But do not fear my friend

Though the storm is crashing in

There are angels all around

To bring the light back down

When you lie down at night

Their love wraps you up tight

And holds you close until the morning light.

And there are friends for you

Who will help to see you through

They will hold up an umbrella

And a lamp for comfort too.

You will feel the warmth and strength

Of your angels who are near

And you'll know there is nothing you should fear.

For Father's love is true

And He will see you through

He'll keep angels round about you

So that you'll know what to do

And peace will seep right in

As the storm begins to dim

And God's love sends sunshine to your soul.

Photo by Parrish Freeman on Unsplash

Blessed Day

Photo by Joel Holland on Unsplash

 

Blessed Day

There's a warm breeze blowing by,

And there's sunshine in the sky.

There is laughter in the wind.

There are angels that are friends.

Flower scent is in the breeze.

There are blossoms on the trees.

There is water flowing by.

Fluffy clouds are in the sky.

Happy days are still ahead.

Joyful paths where we'll be led.

Peace to find and love to feel.

Heaven's love is very real.

Hold your head up and be glad.

There are good times with the bad.

Light will chase the dark away,

And leave, for you, a blessed day.

Written for a friend

Ray of Light

Photo by Daniel Burka on Unsplash

Sometimes from darkness and confusion

Comes a golden ray of light

Illuminating the darkness

Of a prolonged night.

And suddenly you know

What you hadn't known before.

You begin to see

The opening of a door.

This light can bring a sureness.

A knowledge firm and true,

That there is a special work

You'll soon be called to do.

But if the calling lingers

Just outside the door

You may doubt what you saw

In the light before!

But then the calling comes

Bringing knowledge with the light

And inspiration comes to you

Even in the night.

And this time, though the door stands wide

And the light is shining through,

The darkness sneaks up right behind

To make you doubt the thing you do.

Still, holding fast to what you have

And turning toward the light,

You'll find God's guiding hand is there

To keep you in the right.

And the darkness and confusion

Will be left behind

As you keep that golden ray of light

Fixed firmly in your mind.

Belated Birthday Wish

 

Photo by Xiang Gao on Unsplash

(Written for my brother-in-law Chris in 2018)

There once was a birthday wish stuck in a bog,

And when it got out it got lost in the fog.

It stumbled around and bumped into a wall,

Which made that poor birthday wish stumble and fall.

But it was important and would not give up

Even when tired, and covered in much.

So it brushed itself off and put on a smile

And walked quite a ways.  Even more than a mile.

It got lost just a bit, and climbed up a tree,

And looked all around at all it could see.

And then that good birthday wish climbed to the gground

And came to my door so that it could be found

And sent on to you, with a smile, though it's late

In the hopes that your birthday really was great!

Time

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TIME

Time stretches out and out and out.

We stretch too with passing time.

Our minds expand with knowledge.

Our possessions expand with buying.

Our talents expand with learning.

Time rushes on and on and on.

We rush too with passing time.

Our minds cram in what we have to know.

Our possessions cram into corners with no time for putting them away.

Our talents are crammed into whatever time is left.

Time remains ticking constantly along.

We tick along with time -- but not constantly.

Our minds work fast or slow to match occasions.

Our possessions work when we have need of them, and then are still.

Our talents are shown when necessary, discovered or left behind as we go.

Time is forever going and going and going.

We go forever with time.  Now here.  Now there.

Our minds continue learning now and later.

Our possessions continue in this time and do not follow.

Our talents continue with us forever like time, going where we take them.

(Written around 1994)

Feelings

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This is a poem I wrote about my up and down feelings.

Feelings up and feelings down

Feelings going all around

First I cry and then I laugh

And then I go and have a bath

And hope to drown the hurt or sad

Anything that is not good or glad.

Feelings spike, then plummet down

And I feel hammered in the ground

And wish that they would let me be

But no feelings would be worse I see

I'd be numb, and feel alone

Even when I was at home.

Feelings too high all the time

Would burn me out -- I'd not feel fine.

Feelings too low hurt me too

So what is it that I should do?

Roller coasters are kind of fun

But their ups and downs would soon be done.

I try to hold my feelings up

But they seem to drip from a leaky cup

Until they have fallen on the ground

And there is no help that can be found.

What will I do?  I am not sure.

For feelings it seems there is no cure.

I think I'll make feelings my friend.

Fighting does not seem to make them end!

When they go up, I'll go with them

We'll laugh and joke like real best friends.

When they go down then I will hold them close

And listen with love if they get verbose.

And when they are steady for a while

I'll thank them kindly, with a smile.

Each Day

 

Derek is good at making people smile -- and helping little kids think
eating is awesome fun!

Each day is different than the one before.
Each day seems to add one challenge more.
Each day has something great as well.
A tender mercy, something fun to tell.
Each day has moments of quiet prayer.
Each day has you, and me, and there
Are those we love around us too.
This brings great joy to me, and you.
Each day has beautiful things to see.
Each day has love from you, to me.
Each day there's something else as well
My love for you, more than I can tell.
So on each day, all different than the rest,
I hope you will know that for me you are the best!

Written for Derek for Father's Day 2011